Mail-box.



NrrED STATES PATENT' OFFICE.

CHARLES G. OVERMYER AND GEORGE F. COLLINS, OIVE` COFFEYV'ILLE, KANSAS.

MAIL-BOX.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that We, Cim-mais G. Ovenjrrnn and GEORGE F. COLLINS, citizens of the United States, residing at Cotfeyville, in the county of Montgomery and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Mail-Boxes, of which the following is a specitication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to mail boxes and has for its `object to prov-ide a simple device b v means of which letters may be. held in place in the box and prevented from being scattered or blown away and by means ot which also `the mail will be held in convenient position to be received by the person removing it from the box.

This invention is especially adapted tor boxes employed in city delivery Where there is danger of letters being blown away, and also by means of which the postman can readily take the mail from the box.

Referring to the accompanying draw ings :--Figl.ire l is a view in perspective ot' a mail box constructed in accordance with this invention and shown as in position to be used. Fig. 2 is a. side View in vertical section Aot the mail box, showing a letter held in position therein. Fig. 3 is a View of a pair otmail boxes roimected together and constructed in accordance with this invention. shown as partly broken away to disclose the interior of the box.

ln carrying out the invention, the mail box may be of any suitable size or shape, and otI any suitable material, and as here shown, preferably t'ormed ot wire mesh.

l indicates a wire mesh box eonstrm'ted in accordance with this invention and-pio vided withsuitable means for suspending it to a wall or other object, as, for example. by means ot' tacks 2.

The Inail box l is provided with suitable means for holding one or more letters in place therein, as tor cxainple,'by means ot' a strip ot sheet metal 3 secured m any suitable manner to the inner all ot the box at its rear, and, as here shown, preferably by means of bending back the upper end of the Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed Juiylz, 1911.

Patented Apr. 2, 1912. Serial N0. 638,163.

strip 3 at the upper edge of the b pXsand securing the overlapping part 4 to thev main portion by means of a rivet- 5.

A suitable spring adapted to press against and hold a letter against the wall of the box isprovided, as for example, the spring Wire arm 6, which is formed `with an angularly bent portion resting against the sheet metal strip 3 and secured at its end tothe rivet 5, the spring Wire arm 6 extending downward diagonally across the box and having its forward end. slightly curved and bent as at 8, which bears against theinner of theuspring arm 6 letters 9 inserted in the box may be held in placeas shown inl Fig. 2, the curved portion 8 ot the arm 6 .bearing against the letter. The box l" isof such a height as to permitletters insertedlengthwise therein Yto. project above the top of the box7 as shown in Fig. 2 `whereby theletter or several letters maybe readily grasped by the post-man and withdrawn from the box. lt will be seen that by means of this spring arm G- with the curvedend 8,'letters may be easily pushed into the box between the arm 6 and the. wall ofthe box and may be readily i .withdrawn therefrom. By forming the box ot' wire mesh the mail can readily be seen in the box so that when there lis no mail in the box the post-man can see at a distance that such is the case.

ln order'that the spring arm G may be held rmly against the side of the box it is formed with the angularly bent portion 7, which, being bent horizontally and then into V-shape serves as a firm base tor the arm 6 resting against the strip 3 and also contributes to the resiliency of the arm t3 giving a torsional effect. lhe curved end 8 of the arm 6 enables it to tirmly grasp the letters, and at the same time prevents letters from being caught' in the end of the arm 6..

The invent ion is not limited to the form ofspring arm shown an'd described, as any other desirable form may he employed.

lVhat we claim iszl. A mail box provided With a spring arm formed at oney end with an angular portion Y side of the front Wall of the box. By means secured to one side of the box, and serving as i agonally across the box, and having a curved 10 a torsion Spring, said spring arm extending outer end bearing against the side of the box. diagonally across tlie box and bearing at-.its In testimony whereof We hereunto alx outer end against the side of the box. our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

2.. A mail box, a strip of sheet metal se- CHARLES G. OVERMYER. Cured to one side of'sad mail box, a spring GEORGE F. COLLINS. clamping arm having one end bentlaterall;7 lVtneSses: and then into a V-shape and secured to said GEO. DILLON, metallic strip, said' spring arm extending di- L. H. MATHIS. 

